Compensation Claim Definitions
- Article
- 21 Jan 2019
Types of medical conditions
Alzheimer’s disease
Alzheimer's disease (AD), also referred to simply as Alzheimer's, is a chronic neurodegenerative disease that usually starts slowly and worsens over time. It is the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. The most common early symptom is difficulty in remembering recent events (short-term memory loss). As the disease advances, symptoms can include problems with language, disorientation (including easily getting lost), mood swings, loss of motivation, not managing self care, and behavioural issues. As a person's condition declines, they often withdraw from family and society. Gradually, bodily functions are lost, ultimately leading to death. Although the speed of progression can vary, the typical life expectancy following diagnosis is three to nine years.
Open Aortic surgery
Open aortic surgery (OAS), also known as Open aortic repair (OAR) describes a technique whereby an abdominal or retroperitoneal surgical incision is used to visualize and control the aorta for purposes of treatment.
Aplastic anaemia
Aplastic anaemia is a rare disease in which the bone marrow and the hematopoietic stem cells that reside there are damaged. This causes a deficiency of all three blood cell types (pancytopenia): red blood cells (anemia), white blood cells (leukopenia), and platelets (thrombocytopenia).
Benign brain tumour
A benign brain tumor is a mass of cells (tumor) in the brain that lacks the ability to invade neighboring tissue or metastasize. These do not spread into, or invade, nearby tissues; however, they can sometimes be quite large. When removed, benign brain tumors usually do not grow back, whereas malignant tumors sometimes do. Unlike most benign tumors elsewhere in the body, benign brain tumors can be life threatening.
- Benign tumour of the spine
Blindness
The term blindness is used for complete or nearly complete vision loss. Visual impairment may cause people difficulties with normal daily activities such as driving, reading, socializing, and walking.
Cancer
Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body.
Chronic kidney failure
Kidney failure, also known as end-stage kidney disease, is a medical condition in which the kidneys no longer function. It is divided into acute kidney failure (cases that develop rapidly) and chronic kidney failure (those that are long term). Symptoms may include leg swelling, feeling tired, vomiting, loss of appetite, or confusion. Complications of acute disease may include uremia, high blood potassium, or volume overload. Complications of chronic disease may include heart disease, high blood pressure, or anemia.
Chronic liver disease
Chronic liver disease in the clinical context is a disease process of the liver that involves a process of progressive destruction and regeneration of the liver parenchyma leading to fibrosis and cirrhosis. "Chronic liver disease" refers to disease of the liver which lasts over a period of six months. It consists of a wide range of liver pathologies which include inflammation (chronic hepatitis), liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma.
- Chronic lung disease
Cognitive imparment
Cognitive impairment is not an illness, but a description of someone's condition. It means they have trouble with things like memory or paying attention. They might have trouble speaking or understanding. And they might have difficulty recognising people, places or things, and might find new places or situations overwhelming.
Coma
Coma is a state of unconsciousness in which a person cannot be awakened; fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light, or sound; lacks a normal wake-sleep cycle; and does not initiate voluntary actions. A person in a state of coma is described as being comatose. A comatose state may derive from natural causes, or may be medically induced.
Deafness
Hearing loss, also known as hearing impairment, is a partial or total inability to hear. A deaf person has little to no hearing. Hearing loss may occur in one or both ears. Hearing loss can be temporary or permanent.
Dementia
Dementia is a broad category of brain diseases that cause a long-term and often gradual decrease in the ability to think and remember that is great enough to affect a person's daily functioning. Other common symptoms include emotional problems, difficulties with language, and a decrease in motivation.
- Encephalitis
- Heart conditions
- HIV
- Intensive care
- Loss of independent existence
- Loss or paralysis of limb
- Loss of speech
- Major head trauma
- Major organ transplant
- Meningitis and/or meningococcal disease
- Motor neurone disease Multiple Sclerosis
- Muscular dystrophy
- Parkinson’s disease
- Pneumonectomy
- Primary pulmonary hypertension
- Severe burns
- Severe diabetes
- Severe osteoporosis
- Severe rheumatoid arthritis
Stroke
A stroke is a medical condition in which poor blood flow to the brain results in cell death. There are two main types of stroke: ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and hemorrhagic, due to bleeding. They result in part of the brain not functioning properly.
- Systemic sclerosis
Terminal illness
Terminal illness or end-stage disease is an incurable disease that cannot be adequately treated and is reasonably expected to result in the death of the patient.
Whiplash
Whiplash is a non-medical term describing a range of injuries to the neck caused by or related to a sudden distortion of the neck associated with extension.